Tuesday, December 7, 2010 Mark Bickham

Theme: Hare Hoax - Five theme endings that are when a rabbit isn't a real rabbit. Unifier is at the tail end.

18A. Procter & Gamble laundry product: IVORY SNOW. A snow bunny is a female that goes to the mountain with more than skiing on her mind.

27A. Keep America Beautiful concerns: LITTERBUGS. Bugs Bunny needs no intro.

35A. New England storm: NOR'EASTER. Neither does the Easter bunny. A nor'easter is a big storm of the North Atlantic coast and its counter-clockwise rotation brings water(or snow)-laden winds coming from the northeast to all New England. Actually. it can affect the whole eastern seaboard.

49A. Space particles: COSMIC DUST. If you don't know what a dust bunny is, then I want to meet your maid.

59A. Beach Boys album with bees and flowers on the cover: WILD HONEY. Here, I'll play the song for you, my little honey bunny. Clip.(2:40)

68A. Critter that can follow the ends of this puzzle's five longest answers: BUNNY

Argyle here. While none of the themes are very long, they are interesting and the stacks of sevens in the corners are impressive.

I await your comments. Of course, I awaited a comment on the band, Phish, yesterday but only Seen spoke of them.

Across:

1. Prepared for pie, as apples : CORED

6. Skirt fold : PLEAT

11. 1,150, to Brutus : MCL

14. Speed skater __ Anton Ohno : APOLO. An unknown to me with an unknown spelling. US-American Olympic gold medal-winning short track speed skater who also won Dancing with the Stars in 2007. Here is a short(1:50) clip that may explain the popularity of the show. Hot!

15. Get-up-and-go : OOMPH

16. Author Levin : IRA. He wrote the play, No Time for Sergeants and the novel, Rosemary's Baby.

17. What cats and bats do : RHYME

20. Earl Grey et al. : TEAs (weak link) 42. Rank below marquis : EARL

21. "The loneliest number," in a song : ONE. Clip(2:56)

22. Nickel or cadmium : METAL

23. The works : ALL

24. Favorite : PET

25. Simian : APE-LIKE

30. Lawyers' charges : FEES

31. Craft that can be rolled : KAYAK. You can put your kayak upside down in the water and still roll it back upright, if you haven't lost your paddle.

32. "As ye sow, so shall ye __" : REAP

34. Country rtes. : RDs.

39. Bruin legend Bobby : ORR

43. Nutritious beans : SOYAs

47. Razz : JEER

52. Asks to the party : INVITES

54. King of France : ROI

55. 9-Down adviser : CPA and 9D. 30-day mo. : APR.

56. Kentucky county named for a trailblazer : BOONE. Daniel Boone.

57. It follows Wed. : THU.

58. Stride : GAIT

62. Beyond the fringe : OUTRE. We see this spelling frequently.

63. Columnist Buchwald : ART. Snapshot.

64. Alleviated : EASED

65. __ mix: hiker's fare : TRAIL

66. Snake sound : "SSS!". Can make a hiker drop his trail mix.

67. Wipe out : ERASE

Down

1. NPR auto show : "CAR TALK". National Public Radio; The hosts of Car Talk are brothers Tom and Ray Magliozzi, also known as Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers.

2. Hamlet's love : OPHELIA. Spoiler alert: She dies...oh wait, they all die...never mind.

3. Writer's payment : ROYALTY

4. Shady bunch? : ELMS

5. Anonymous John : DOE

6. Destination in a two-part route : POINT B. After you start from point A.

7. "Many-splendored thing" of song : LOVE. In case you've forgotten the great ballad.(3:02)

8. Comic Philips : EMO. Alleged comic.

10. Mint family herb : THYME

11. Toothpaste comparison word : MINTIER

12. Cried like a raven : CROAKED

13. Like anarchy : LAWLESS

19. Note to __ : SELF

21. Across, in verse : O'ER

24. "Orange" tea grade : PEKOE. We've had a big discussion about this before but if you want, we can go over it again.

25. A long time : AGES

26. 130-minute H.S. exam : PSAT

28. Beach lover's goal : TAN

29. Eurasian range : URALS. The range dividing Europe from Asia.

33. Joe of "GoodFellas" : PESCI. He played a whack-job(but don't tell him I said that).

36. Senate contest : RACE

37. God with arrows : EROS

38. Staff associate? : ROD

39. Lake Superior natives : OJIBWAs. The Ojibwa Indians, also known as the Chippewa Indians, lived mainly in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ontario, Canada at the time of European contact. Good web site here.

40. Some Impressionist paintings : RENOIRs. Google page.

41. Sickens : REVOLTS

44. Mexican peninsula : YUCATAN. Map. It has been hard hit by hurricanes before.

45. Bayer product : ASPIRIN

46. Majestic : STATELY

48. Melon exterior : RIND

50. Villainous literary alter ego : MR. HYDE. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is the original title of a novella written by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson

51. Promise to pay : IOU

53. Little laugh : TE-HEE

57. Golfer's pocketful : TEEs

58. Spiritual guide : GURU

60. Stick in the lake? : OAR

61. Govt. hush-hush org. : NSA. National Security Agency (NSA)

62. Bettor's hangout, briefly : OTB. Off-Track Betting. It was bad when the mob did it but OK now that our govt. does it.

Answer grid.

Notes from C.C.:

1) Today we celebrate the birthday of Windhover, our blog farmer and philosopher. I think the third picture there is what made Annette want to ride his bike.

2) Speaking of cool, click here and here for two terrific shots of Splynter. Obviously he loves guitar (He writes music) & hockey (a goalie). He is in construction/remodeling business, and he wants to "Make your home your castle".

Argyle

Monday, December 6, 2010 Donna S. Levin

Theme: On Solid Footing - Four phrases that end with a word that indicates what you may build on, literally or metaphorically.

20A. Sidewalk periodical vendor : NEWSPAPER STAND

25A. Edwards or Langley, e.g. : AIR FORCE BASE

42A. Court-ordered parental obligation : CHILD SUPPORT

48A. Philanthropic group chartered by auto execs : FORD FOUNDATION

Argyle here.

If you have a strong crossword background to build on, then Donna's offering should cause you little trouble. The grid is well grounded with strong blocks at the corners and lengthy cross ties.

I'm going to assume we all have basic expertise in puzzles and do minimal comments; there are entries from the past and the present. Anybody with a question, just ask it and someone will answer it.

Across

1. Try to obtain sensitive info using an Internet scam : PHISH

6. Chase down, as a fly ball : SHAG

10. Falls behind : LAGS

14. "Tiny Bubbles" singer : DON HO. Hawaiian

15. Tip-top : A-ONE

16. Towards the sheltered side, at sea : ALEE

17. Specialized jargon : ARGOT

18. "__ call us, we'll ..." : DON'T. Video. (3:24)

19. Red sky, to a sailor : OMEN

23. __-Locka, Florida : OPA. A city located in Miami-Dade County.

24. Gut courses : EASY A'S. Knew the answer but not the clue. The best definition I found is that a gut course is a class so easy that you can forgo studying, go with your gut instincts, and still get an A.

31. Political corruption : GRAFT

32. Police busts : RAIDS

33. Revolutionary statesman Franklin : BEN

36. Knocks on the door : RAPS

37. Response to a fencing lunge : PARRY

38. Nothing, in tennis : LOVE

39. Picnic invader : ANT

40. Intimidated : COWED. "Don't have a cow, man!": Bart Simpson.

41. Tendon : SINEW

44. Show hosts : EMCEEs

47. Actor Mineo : SAL

54. Notion : IDEA

55. Univ. sports group : NCAA

56. Liberate from the hitching post : UNTIE. That is just PETA talk.

58. Shakespearean king : LEAR

59. Tiger Woods's ex : ELIN

60. Allow to pass : LET BY

61. Benevolent order : ELKS

62. Cowgirl Evans : DALE

63. Cropped up : AROSE

Down:

1. High-tech organizer, briefly : PDA. Personal digital assistant, an electronic device which can include some of the functions of a computer, a cellphone, a music player, a camera and a partridge in a pear tree.

2. English or French instrument : HORN. English or French.

3. "Picnic" dramatist : INGE

4. Braggarts : SHOW-OFFS

5. Lively nightclub : HOT SPOT

6. Thompson of "Family" : SADA

7. Hula __ : HOOP

8. Green Gables girl : ANNE. The tale of a red-headed girl.

9. Prepare : GET READY

10. Taoism founder : LAO-TSE. Laozi, Laosi, Lao Tse, Lao Tu, Lao-Tzu, Lao-Tsu, Laotze, Lao Zi, Laocius, and other variations.

11. Hypoallergenic skin care brand : ALMAY

12. Davis who played Thelma : GEENA. Cover.

13. Transmits : SENDS

21. Bogey beater : PAR

22. Impertinence : SASS

25. Taj Mahal city : AGRA

26. Pakistan neighbor : IRAN

27. Engrossed : RAPT

28. Move like a baby : CRAWL

29. Like some seals : EARED

30. Feathered friends : BIRDS

33. Sonny of Sonny and Cher : BONO. Sadly, their "I GOT YOU BABE" turned into "IT AIN'T ME BABE".

34. Happily __ after : EVER

35. Eft, when mature : NEWT

37. Like the victims in "Arsenic and Old Lace" : POISONED. Performed as a school play everywhere.

38. Pencil for one's kisser : LIP LINER

40. Kitchen VIP : CHEF

41. Pancake flipper : SPATULA

42. Coniferous trees : CEDARS

43. Mex. neighbor : USA

44. Submit a tax return over the Internet : E-FILE

45. Hobbyist's plane, e.g. : MODEL

46. Old floorboard sound : CREAK

49. Golden State sch. : UCLA

50. Carpentry fastener : NAIL

51. Certain Scandinavian : DANE. From Denmark.

52. Filmdom's Preminger : OTTO

53. Penpoints : NIBS

57. Sight organ : EYE

Answer grid.

Notes from C.C.:

1) This is a week of birthday celebrations on our blog. Today we sing "Happy Birthday to You" to the ever sunny, happy & DD-Delightful Lucina. On her left in lovely aqua is our exotic bird Dodo, who just had her 85th birthday on October 29.

2) If you want to be included in our Blog Photos archive, please send me a picture or two (crosswordc@gmail.com). We'd love to "see" you.

Argyle

Added later: Today is also constructor Donna Levin's birthday. Happy Birthday, Donna!

Sunday December 5, 2010 Nora Pearlstone

Theme: CD Changers - The starting letter C is changed into D in various familiar phrases.

23A. Athlete's illegal plan? : DOPING STRATEGY. Coping Strategy.

44A. Inevitably short story of a track event? : DASH ACCOUNT. Cash Account.

68A. Derrières? : FRENCH DUFFS. French Cuffs.

96A. Contented furnace part? : HAPPY DAMPER. Happy Camper.

119A. Pass receiver's nightmare? : DREAM OF THE DROP. Cream of the Crop. The only one with double changes.

13D. Dangerous links game? : GOLF DARTS. Golf Carts.

41D. Where authors exhibit unedited work? : DRAFTS FAIR. Crafts Fair.

44D. Designated area for Southern dialogue? : DRAWL SPACE. Crawl Space.

83D. City employee who helps with the dishes? : TOWN DRIER. Town Crier.

Fun puzzle. Some of the theme clues made me laugh. Cottoned onto the theme rather quickly. Had a hunch of what the gimmick was about after reading title, then had it confirmed in no time. For once I mind-melded with Rich.

To those who are not familiar with various alias name of editor Rich Norris, he uses Nora Pearlstone (anagram of "Not a Real Person") mostly for his Sunday puzzles.

Nora tends to spread out her theme entries widely and intersect them when possible.

Across:

1. Post-commencement fliers? : CAPS. The image just wouldn't come to my mind.

5. Skirmish : FRAY

9. Polite address : MA'AM

13. Freedom of speech inhibitor : GAG LAW. Same as Gag Order, right?

19. Snack with several eating options : OREO

20. Grimm bad guy : OGRE

21. Adolescent woe : ACNE

22. Shopping with a mouse, say : ONLINE. Mouse click.

26. Check up (on) : LOOK IN

27. Put to work : EMPLOY

28. Whom a physician should heal? : THYSELF. "Physician, heal thyself".

30. TV Batman Adam : WEST. We also have 99. Dogpatch's Daisy __ : MAE. Not cross-referenced today.

31. Dost speak : SAYST

32. Kenyan tribe : MASAI. New word to me. Dictionary says they live in Tanzania too.

35. Businesses : TRADES

37. Credits (to) : ASCRIBES

40. It's nearly bisected by the Missouri R. : S DAK. Wow, true.

41. Caesar's 601 : DCI

47. It's not wall-to-wall : AREA RUG

49. Hopping desert rodent : JERBOA. Alien to me. Strange looking creature.

51. Cross-country need, perhaps : SKI

52. Put on the tube : AIR

54. Until now : TO DATE

55. Sign of a slip : ERASURE. Sure was not thinking of "mistake" slip.

57. "SNL" producer Michaels : LORNE

59. Endure : SUFFER

60. Handful : FEW

61. Deceive : LIE TO

64. Winans of gospel : CECE. BEBE too.

65. Asian celebration : TET. Only in Vietnam.

66. Leave no room in : FILL

72. This, in Spain : ESTO. Also ESTA.

75. Distress letters : SOS

77. Restaurateur Toots : SHOR

78. Exams for sophs or jrs. : PSATs

80. Warm lining : FUR

81. Influence : IMPACT

84. Publishing crime : LIBEL. I don't get the clue, though I know most libels are in printed form.

86. Place : SITUATE

88. Milan's __ alla Scala : TEATRO. Only know La Scala, not its full name. What does "TEATRO" mean?

89. Dept. in charge of rural development : AGR (Agriculture)

90. Author Tarbell : IDA. No idea. Read here for more information. Interesting: muckraker. What Julian Assange has done appalls me.

93. Brain : GENIUS

94. Does without : ESCHEWS

100. Children's author Blyton : ENID. Learned from doing Xword.

102. Cutting tool handy in tight crevices : SABER SAW. Like this, Splynter?

103. Football play also called a sweep : END RUN

105. __ man : LADY'S. Like Bond.

106. Rumor starter? : I HEAR

111. General Mills brand : CHEX

114. Do some home improvement : REMODEL. Hey, another shout-out to Splynter.

116. Film set at the Bates Motel : PSYCHO

117. Island state : HAWAII

123. Delphic medium : ORACLE

124. Failed '80s gridiron org. : USFL. No idea. United States Football League, 1983-1987.

125. Go (toward) : HEAD

126. What kings and courts do : RULE. Oh, I see, Kings' courts.

127. Civic or rec follower : CENTER

128. Allot, with "out" : METE

129. Line on a horse : ODDS. We also have 95. Filly's father : SIRE. I like the name Zenyatta, very cool!

130. "__ Death": "Peer Gynt Suite No. 1" movement : ASE'S. Ase is Peer Gynt's mother.

Down:

1. Sets of regulations : CODES

2. Olfactory lure : AROMA

3. Energized : PEPPY

4. Dirties : SOILS

5. Stick-in-the-mud : FOGY. Old geezer.

6. Some NFL blockers : RGS

7. Gallery display : ART

8. "__ durn tootin'!" : YER

9. 20th-century Canadian composer André : MATHIEU. Well, I bet Jayce knows this guy. Québécois composer.

10. __-deucy : ACEY

11. Therapy subject : ANGST

12. Seth of "SNL" : MEYERS

14. 365 días : ANO

15. Shines : GLOWS

16. Take a shine to : LIKE

17. Spanish liqueur : ANIS. Made of aniseed?

18. Took off : WENT

24. Nobody at all : NOT A SOUL

25. Steaming mad : AT A BOIL. Two little multip-word phrases.

29. Russian auto : LADA. What does Lada mean?

32. Longtime Olivia Newton-John label : MCA. MCA = Music Corporation of America.

33. Rainbow paths : ARCS

34. Tired partner? : SICK. Sick and tired.

36. Barely make, as a living : EKE OUT. Good to have a full phrase.

38. Bridge star Omar : SHARIF

39. Caught in a net : SNARED

42. Overused word at the nursery : CUTE

43. Disney president Robert : IGER. Quite articulate.

45. Tummy muscles : ABS. Look at here. Amazing. The kid must have been working really hard on them.

46. Costner links film : TIN CUP. Great movie.

48. Classified charge : AD FEE

49. Bridges of "Starman" : JEFF

50. "... __ saw Elba" : ERE I. Ha ha. Just mentioned it yesterday.

53. Coral phenomena : REEFS

56. Chariot ending : EER. Charioteer.

58. Earthy tone : OCHRE

62. One weber per square meter : TESLA. Hey, he's back, with a very technical clue though.

63. Above : ON HIGH

67. Reluctant : LOATH

69. Charmed snakes? : COBRAS. Why "charmed"?

70. Notes after mis : FAs. Musical notes: Do Re Mi Fa Sol...

71. Mark of disgrace : STIGMA

73. "Swan Lake" outfit : TUTU. Have any of you seen "Black Swan"?

74. Tram car fillers : ORES

76. Conceal : SCREEN

79. How AA members complete their program : STEPWISE. Didn't come to me immediately.

81. News bit : ITEM

82. City east of Tempe : MESA. I've never been to AZ.

85. ChapStick, e.g. : LIP BALM

87. A, to Fauré : UNE

91. Changed the locks? : DYED

92. "He was white and shaken, like __ martini": Wodehouse : A DRY. Not familiar with the quote. Funny.

97. Lager alternative : PALE ALE

98. Barnyard brayer : ASS. Alliteration.

101. Jerk : DUMDUM. Another new word to me.

103. Right-on : EXACT

104. Swedes' neighbors : NORSE. Norwegians? I always associate Norse with the ancient Scandinavian people.

107. Victim of Hercules : HYDRA. The nine-headed serpent.

108. Tan shades : ECRUS

109. Financially struggling, with "in" : A HOLE

110. Boxing ring borders : ROPES

111. Prefix with -aholic : CHOC. Chocaholic. My spell checks wants chocoholic.

112. Wonderland tea party attendee : HARE

113. McGregor of "Big Fish" : EWAN. Know his name, not the movie.

115. Skillful : DEFT

116. Some profs : PH. Ds

118. Mer land : ILE. Mer = Sea.

120. Discoverer's shout : OHO. AHA too.

121. Miffed, with "up" : FED

122. Tiny amount : TAD

Answer grid.

We are all familiar with this avatar photo of the always witty & musing & amusing Husker Gary. Here is a closer look at him and his wife Joann. They've been married for 45 years.

C.C.

Saturday December 4, 2010 Bruce Venzke

Theme: None

Total words: 68

Total blocks: 32

Bruce Venzke often has grid-spanners in his puzzles, themed & themeless. Today we have:

17A. Like versatile antennas : OMNIDIRECTIONAL. New word to me.

20A. More important matters : BIGGER FISH TO FRY. Nice answer.

50A. 1890s warning song for sailors : ASLEEP IN THE DEEP. No idea. Maybe Spitzboov is familiar with the song. Such a deep voice.

54A. Avon work, say : DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES. This could be the seed entry. Sparkling.

Triple columns of 7s are then stacked in each corner. Very choppy solving for me. Some of the clues are way out of my league.

Across:

1. Big event : GALA. Easy start.

5. Acid-tongued : ACERB

10. Soyuz letters : CCCP. Cyrillic for USSR.

14. Lakers forward Lamar : ODOM. The guy on the right. The only Laker I recognize is Kobe Bryant.

15. Kentucky college town with an annual Spoonbread Festival : BEREA. What is Spoonbread?

16. Ding Dong relative : HO HO. What, no shout out to our sweet Santa?

21. Picking up a prescription, say : ERRAND

22. Atelier items : EASELS

23. Go green, in a way : REUSE

24. PETA concern : FUR

27. Karaoke essential : LYRIC. Boomer loves Karaoke.

28. ID theft item : SSN

29. Compound cry of displeasure : BOO! HISS!. Well, I sure hear "Boo!" and the hissing sound. Never "Hiss!".

32. Protected whale : SEI. Not familiar with sei whale, Wikipedia says "sei" is the Norwegian word for pollock.

33. Jalopy : CRATE. Did not know crate can mean "old car".

34. Primatologist's subject : APE

37. Spa fixture : JACUZZI. Scrabbly.

39. Scale notes : FAs. Musical scale.

42. Bit of rodeo gear : REATA

44. Ron who played Tarzan : ELY

45. Memorable WWII gesture : V-SIGN

47. Boat ramp site : MARINA

49. Saw-toothed formation : SIERRA

55. Seine feeder : AUBE. No idea. It's pronounced like OH-b.

56. TV exec Arledge : ROONE. Learned his name from doing Xword. Longtime chairman of ABC News.

57. Longtime Balkan leader : TITO. A Heroic figure in our history book.

58. Got the lead out : SPED. "Get the lead out" is new idiom to me.

59. Expressed reproval of : TSKED

60. Orwell's alma mater : ETON. Guessed.

Down:

1. Nestlé peanut snack : GOOBERS. Why peanuts are called goobers is beyond me.

2. Finds appealing : ADMIRES

3. Words signifying commitment : LONG RUN. I don't get this clue.

4. Juanita's friends : AMIGAS

5. "__ Without Wings": Celtic Thunder song : A BIRD. First encounter with the song. Oh God, it sounds so good.

6. "What's My Line?" panelist : CERF (Bennett). I can never remember his name.

7. "... kissed thee __ killed thee": Othello : ERE I. Could only get the answer if it were Elba related.

8. LPs : RECS (Records)

9. Soak : BATHE

10. Particular : CHOOSY

11. Gives : CONFERS

12. Commercial tuna : CHARLIE. This refers to StarKist's Charlie the Tuna I presume?

13. Study of govt. : POLY-SCI. Political Science?

18. Bright star in Cygnus : DENEB

19. Tilted type: Abbr. : ITALS (Italics)

24. Compel : FORCE

25. Ryder rival : U-HAUL

26. Like five-diamond hotels : RITZY

30. Andean staple : OCA. Xword staple.

31. Slangy word before or after "who" : SEZ

34. Ill-fated attackers of 1588 and 1589 : ARMADAS. The Spanish Armada.

35. Meteorological metaphor : PEA SOUP. Dense fog.

36. Spot for a stud : EARLOBE. Stud earrings.

37. Critic Maslin : JANET. Film/Literary critic for the NY Times. Foreign to me.

38. Penn and others : IVIES. Was thinking of Sean Penn rather than the University of Pennsylvania.

39. Like s'more-makers' faces : FIRE-LIT

40. Accept : AGREE TO

41. Attaches with a click : SNAPS ON. What click?

43. Like most stadiums : TIERED

46. Calm : SEDATE

48. Left on the boat : APORT

49. Tear up : SHRED

51. Church exchange, perhaps : I DOs. See, this is the commitment I was thinking for the 3D clue.

52. Breakfast spot : NOOK

53. Muscle quality : TONE. I want her arms. Super-toned.

Answer grid.

C.C.

Friday December 3, 2010 Pamela Amick Klawitter

Theme: No scotch, just add A RY(e). I am not good at naming these add on themes. By adding ARY to the end of the second word of a common phrase, a new and entirely different phrase emerges, with oodles of frivolity.

20A. Where a witch's influence ends?: SPELL BOUNDARY. Or is SPELLBOUND really one word? I like the imagery of a boundary on spells.

25A. Office employee to avoid?: DEADLY SECRETARY. Deadly secret. I am not really familiar with this as a phrase, though I know there is a movie, and the newspapers use it often, like when describing the Toyota cover-up.

47A. Shuttle evangelist?: SPACE MISSIONARY. Space mission. I think many of our televangelists would be better if sent off in a rocket ship, but that is just me.

53A. Bird in a landfill?: GARBAGE CANARY. Garbage can. My favorite, as it turns a can into a bird.

Well, it is your semi- recovered Lemonade here for your Friday entertainment. This is my first blogging of Ms. Klawitter, but we have had many of her puzzles this year, mostly on Sundays, but last month’s Wednesday effort with all the swapping and trading was fun.

Some really fun clues:

23A. River past Memphis: NILE. Ha ha, fooled you, Memphis used to be the capital of Egypt, before Cairo.

33A. Teen sensation?: ANGST. Great clue, man. For me it was ages 11 to 14.

9D. Treetop rocker: CRADLE. Oh. I LOVE this clue, they get you thinking about music, and rockers and then slip in my favorite lullaby, which was obviously written by someone who did not like kids. I mean what kid wants to hear about falling out the top of a tree?

40D. Item in a stirring picture?: SPOON. Another great clue, simple elegance..

On we go.

ACROSS:

1. Actor Gyllenhaal: JAKE. Did the controversial BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN with Heath Ledger, dated Reese Witherspoon among others, and his sister, Maggie appeared in the DARK KNIGHT which is the Batman movie where Heath Ledger was so fabulous as the Joker. Also, see below for more Batman stuff.

5. Big rolls: WADS. The online dictionary says this goes back to the US in 1778.

9. "Zorba the Greek" setting: CRETE.A wonderful, fun MOVIE .

14. Very top: APEX. Not to be confused with ACME, also four letters beginning with A.

15. Cartoon drooler: ODIE. Poor baby, he gets such bad press because of the CAT.

16. Invoice word: REMIT.

17. Downed shot: BELT. The first shout out to our shot downer, Tinbeni.

18. Eugene O'Neill's daughter: OONA. Also, married to Charlie Chaplin.

19. Lab flask contents, perhaps: ACIDS. Like my stomach tonight, ick.

24. Tim's "Tool Time" sidekick et al.: ALS. Ick, a gratuitous plural, when Lou Gherig’s disease could do it.

34. What a recent ex may need: TLC. Or recent eye surgery patients….

35. With 62-Down, call: SEE A, 62d. See 35-Across: BET. Poker rules, still.

36. Early 16th-century date: MDI.

37. "Also sprach Zarathustra" composer: STRAUSS. I am not the music expert, but is the music used for Space Odedsey:2001 ?

41. Shade on a beach: TAN. A wonderfully tricky clue, as I was trying to think of a three letter word for umbrella. I am a tan freak. We also have, 63A. Sunburn soothers: ALOES, to keep those tans safe.

42. Cookie recipe morsels: NUTS. Okay, I refuse to go back to that discussion, just believe me, there is no gravitational issue.

44. Fitting: APT.

45. Phoenician dialect: PUNIC. Well, while we may not know the clue directly, most of us have been taught about the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, and the famous pictures of Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants to attack Rome from the north. Of course, having a son getting his PhD in Roman archaeology may have made this a touch easier for me.

51. Part of a roadie's load: AMP. Okay, here is where I tell my tales of going on the road with bands I represented, traveling by bus, eh, maybe later.

52. __ bomb: ATOM. Well BOOM! BAM!(Forgive me Emeril and BATMAN).

59. Actress Thomas who is now St. Jude's National Outreach Director: MARLO. Danny’s daughter, and the star of That Girl .

60. For all of us: OURS.

61. Certain line crosser: SCAB. Unions were very serious when I was growing up, and while they did much good in the 40’s and 50’s, eventually they became tools of bad people and did much to ruin American Industry.

64. Actor Baldwin: ALEC. My favorite of the brothers.

65. Kate __, a.k.a. Batwoman: KANE. This was very difficult for me, as I never knew of the 2006 change to BATWOMAN who is no longer Kathy Kane, but is a Jewish lesbian! In the continuing saga of clues relating to my life, I collected comic books while in law school and for years after, and had my own store in Gainesville until I had to move to South Florida for a previous eye operation.

66. Air ducts: VENTS.

67. "There you have it!": TA DA. The word of the whole corner!

68. USMC rank: SSGT. They have a lot more SERGEANTS than I knew. Dennis, was this just for you?

DOWN:

1. Setup punch: JAB.

2. Fossey focus: APES. Dian who lived among GORILLAS .

3. Source of the food thickener alginate: KELP. No clue, but with Jake being easy, so was this.

4. Lengthens: EXTENDS. Okay, Lois and Carol and ladies, I know where this one fits in your memory banks.

5. Wild associate?: WOOLLY. Don’t know why but this reminded me of this classic SONG .

6. Sun-dried structures: ADOBES. Unlike the tomatoes…

7. Flintstones' Snorkasaurus: DINO. Their pet; very cute.

8. Linebacker Junior who played in 12 consecutive Pro Bowls: SEAU. He played many years in San Diego, came to Miami for a couple of years and then EXTENDED his career with the Patriots. Sadly, I think he has retirement adjustment PROBLEMS .

10. Changes the actor: RECASTS, and the similar, 31D. Televise again: REAIR. REGURGITATE?

11. Kuwaiti VIP: EMIR.

12. Unlike folks on "Hoarders": TIDY. I have never and never will watch this “reality” show from A&E (Arts? Entertainment?) which exploits the sad life of mentally ill people.

13. Saturn drivers?: ETS. Cute, but drivers?

21. Light melodies: LILTS. Okay ladies, help me here, because this is all I thought of from my YOUTH , am I the only one?

22. Some traffic monitors: NARCS. We had this in a puzzle I blogged recently.

25. Condemns: DAMNS. Most famous ONE . Which leads naturally, even if spelling does not work, to 43D. Like an infamous "A": SCARLET.

26. Become, finally: END UP.

27. Antacid target: AGITA. Fascinated that this ITALIAN SLANG would be an acceptable term.

28. Texas and Tennessee, in Toulouse: ETATS. Well, this is silly, since there are no states in Toulouse named Texas, why not “to Toulouse” to show it is a French answer?

29. Gulager of "The Virginian": CLU. He is still working, now in horror movies at 82 ACTOR and has since 1956, when I first began watching TV; always sounded like he swallowed something wrong.

30. Insurance company named for a mountain: AETNA. A Hartford Connecticut mainstay, the company not the mountain.

32. "The Waltons" handyman Tucker: YANCY. Another one I did not know, but it is Friday. He was played by ROBERT DONNER, a weird looking dude.

38. City on its own bay: TAMPA. Okay Tin man who did you pay today?

39. Sch. in Troy, NY: RPI. And another Spitzboov reference?

46. Exposes: UNMASKS.

48. Make stand out: EMBOSS. Another opportunity ladies?

49. Divine: SACRED.

50. Mississippi source: ITASCA. We have had this river in Illinois, trying to trick us before.

53. 8 on the Beaufort scale: GALE. My first love was GALE, and I thought she was 10.

54. Elvis __ Presley: ARON. My oldest boy's name, spelled wrong,

55. Billy __: GOAT. For you again Tinbeni, I wanted MARTIN.

56. "The Long, Hot Summer" vixen __ Varner: EULA. We just had this back in an October offering from Ed Sessa.

57. Some HDTVs: RCAS.

58. Bright side?: YANG. Please somebody help, I know YIN, and I know YANG represents the bright colors in Feng Shui, so I guess this is what it must mean, but honestly I never saw the clue and would never put YANG in there except the corner was already filled. (From C.C.: Yang is literally "bright" in Chinese. Yin means "shady".)

59. Dallas NBAer: MAV.

Answer grid.

Well peoples, it is good to be at least partially back; enjoy the day and week end; bruised but not broken, Lemonade 714.

Thursday December 2, 2010 Pancho Harrison

Theme: Wacky Business Slogans. In each theme answer (all phrasal verbs in *ing + adv format), a pun is made about a type of business or job activity. No unifier clue.

17. "So I hear your job as exercise class instructor is __": WORKING OUT.

29. "So I hear your job as a burlesque dancer is __": TAKING OFF.

46. "So I hear your trash removal business is __": PICKING UP.

62. "So I hear your scuba diving business is __": GOING UNDER.

This was kind of fun. I couldn't find one, but there must be a name for these, right? I hear running your muffler business is exhausting. I hear the awning business is kind of shady. I hear the window business is kind of a pain. I hear that sod farm salesmen are easy to get a lawn with.

And the rest:

ACROSS:

1. Thread bearer: SPOOL.

6. Classic name in shoes: MCAN. Thom. Now owned by CVS/Caremark but sold at Kmart (which is owned by Sears) and Wal-mart.

10. Dressed: CLAD. Past participle of clothe.

14. Aquarium concern: ALGAE.

15. Fabled craft: ARGO. Jason and the Argonauts.

16. Old: YORE. Related word: year.

19. Word with belly or blast: BEER. Cerveza, (spanish for beer), sounds so much more refined, doesn't it?

20. "Forget it, comrade!": NYET.

21. Ancient Andean: INCA. From Quechea: "lord, king." Technically, only of the high Inca, but it was used widely for "man of royal blood."

22. Davenport shopper, probably: IOWAN. Right across the river from Moline, Illinois. There are also cities named "Couch" in TX, FL, WV, and MO.

23. Artist Magritte: RENE. Surrealist.

25. Branch honcho: Abbr.: MGR. Manager, as in a bank.

26. Pops (out): FLIES. Baseball?

35. Choice: SELECT. Used in the sense of "quality" (select cuts of meat), not the sense of "option" as it appears, because that would have to be "selection".

37. Big, outmoded piece of equipment: DINOSAUR.

38. Paris pronoun: TOI. You.

39. Accountant, at times: AUDITOR. From Latin, "a hearer", related to audience, "a hearing". Auditing was formerly done and vouched for orally.

41. Airport safety org.: TSA. Transportation Security Administration.

42. Carousing: ON A SPREE. Likely from French esprit, lively.

44. Shiny fabric: SATEEN.

48. Revenge seekers in a 1984 film: NERDS.

49. Dollar sign shape: ESS.

50. Baltic resident: LETT. Of Latvia. The other Baltic states are Lithuania and Estonia.

52. Early afternoon hr.: ONE PM.

55. Disease attacker: DRUG.

57. Helps out: AIDS.

61. Demagogue's delivery: RANT.

64. Wine region south of the Matterhorn: ASTI.

65. "Got it, Daddy-o!": I DIG. Peter, Paul, and Mary.

66. Party person: GUEST.

67. DEA agent: NARC. Because NARCO was too long an abbreviation for narcotics agent.

68. Frosty's button: NOSE. With a corncob pipe and a button nose...

69. Honshu city: OSAKA.

DOWN:

1. Felled, in a way: SAWN.

2. Queen sacrifice in chess, e.g.: PLOY.

3. Shrek or Fiona: OGRE.

4. Yellow ribbon site of song: OAK TREE. Obligatory link.

5. Island welcome: LEI.

6. Lodestone: MAGNET. From Greek Magnes lithos (Magnesian stone). Magnesia, region of Thessaly where magnetized ore was obtained.

7. Hook nemesis, for short: CROC. Characters in Peter Pan.

8. Monterrey water: AGUA. Spanish.

9. "__ a chance!": NOT.

10. Bionic beings: CYBORGS. Portmanteau of "cybernetic organism" could explain how this is possible.

11. MGM co-founder: LOEW. Marcus. On November 3, 2010, MGM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

12. Field of expertise: AREA.

13. "Coming Home" actor: DERN. Bruce. OK, now I recognize who this is.... He always seemed to play the nut-job character.

18. "Delta of Venus" author: NIN. Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell

22. "Everybody is __, only on different subjects": Will Rogers: IGNORANT. I never read a Will Rogers quote I didn't like.

24. Watching "Avatar," say: ESCAPISM. The blue guy (Sam Worthington) without makeup.

25. Cretan king of myth: MINOS.

26. SLR setting: F-STOP. Single Lens Reflex (camera). The F-number indicates "speed". The larger the number, the longer you need for exposure. An F number twice as large as another one takes four times as long to get enough light.

27. Téa of "Spanglish": LEONI.

28. Of a pelvic bone: ILIAC.

30. Gascony good-bye: ADIEU. Gascony, France.

31. Caboodle partner: KIT. The whole thing, tools and possessions. Likely why we have the word "oodles".

32. Lash LaRue film, e.g.: OATER. Alfred (Lash) Larue, a Western film star in the 40s and 50s. He was very skilled with a bull whip, thus "Lash".

33. Joined by melting: FUSED. Parts is parts, Wendy's commercial. Fused at about :23 in.

34. Artist __ Hals: FRANS. Dutch Golden Age painter, mostly portraits.

36. Parts of directions: TURNS. Google maps makes a funny at the driving directions for step 17 of this route. You need to scroll down to see it.

40. MBA, for one: DEG. Master of Business degree.

43. One looking askance: SKEPTIC. "Skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found." [Miguel de Unamuno, "Essays and Soliloquies," 1924]

45. Lockjaw: TETANUS. More properly, trismus, which can be caused by tetanus, but also by MDMA, Meth, Ritalin, radiation therapy, infection, anesthesia, needle prick, several other diseases and drugs.

47. Drop dramatically: PLUNGE. Like a neckline.

51. Breakfast fare: EGG. Only humans habitually eat specifically designated foods at different times of the day.

52. Algerian port: ORAN. Across from Spain.

53. Apollo 13 gp.: NASA. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

54. __'acte: ENTR. Between the acts, as during a play. Could be an intermission or just an interlude piece of music.

55. Bygone bird: DODO. Another shout-out to our bloggers?

56. Teddy Roosevelt biographer: RIIS. Jacob. A Danish American social reformer, muckraking journalist, and documentary photographer. Was dedicated to helping the impoverished in NY City.

58. "I have an __!": IDEA.

59. Student's spot: DESK.

60. Arg. miss: SRTA. Argentina, senorita.

62. Cry while showing one's cards: GIN. Rummy.

63. Actor Tognazzi: UGO. I'm not sure a crossword answer gets any more obscure than this, an Italian actor. The only movie I recognized was La cage aux folles, but he was in a lot of films.

Answer Grid.

Al

Wednesday December 1, 2010 Ed Sessa

Theme: ENEMY (56D. Foe hiding, in a way, in the puzzle's four longest answers). N & ME span across two words in each theme entry. Phonetically "N-M-E" sounds like "Enemy".

20A. Viral illness associated with a rash : GERMAN MEASLES. Wikipedia it's called "German measles because the disease was first described by German physicians in the mid-eighteenth century".

35A. List that comes from the top : DROP-DOWN MENU. Computer menu. Mangesh Ghogre used this great phrase in his "Missing You" puzzle in Games magazine. His answer is a hilarious "Drop-Down Men(u), clued as rappers referenced if I recall correctly.

43A. Possible response to "Gotcha!" : THAT'S ONE ON ME.

57A. Pie with a fluffy topping : LEMON MERINGUE. Still have not tried Lemon Meringue Pie yet.

C.C. here, pinch-hitting for the traveling Melissa Bee. When did you get the theme? Took me sometime to grok the gimmick.

We also have a bit of French current going on:

34D. Dijon honey : AMIE. I was picturing Dijon honey mustard, not how to say "Honey" in Dijon the French city.

60D. Old gold coins of France : ECUS. Classic crosswordese.

58D. Hot times in the cité : ETES

Favorite clue/answer today is LADY LUCK (40. Gambler's favorite woman?).

Across:

1. Chews the fat : GABS

5. "Here's to ..." tribute : TOAST

10. Lingerie size : C-CUP. Doesn't look like Salma Hayek is wearing a bra.

14. Inuit word for "house" : IGLU. That's how we get igloo.

15. Like bighorns : OVINE. Always thought bighorns are goats rather than sheep.

16. Obsessed fictional captain : AHAB. "Moby Dick".

17. Modeler's aid : GLUE.

18. More inclined to butt in : RUDER. Couldn't fit in NOSIER.

19. Comes together : GELS

23. Paint base : LATEX

24. A major, e.g. : KEY

25. Healthful resort : SPA

28. 911 responder, for short : EMS

29. Lanchester of "Witness for the Prosecution" : ELSA. Know her. Not familiar with the movie.

33. Like Fran Drescher's voice : NASAL

38. Cuba or Mallorca : ISLA

41. Thumper's friend : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit. There's also a character called Flower.

42. Agenda listing : ITEM

46. Like some waves : TIDAL

47. Have to have : NEED

48. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC

51. "School's out" response : YAY

52. "Eeeuuw!" : ICK

55. Bloodsucker : LEECH

62. Tight : TAUT

64. Sister's daughter : NIECE

65. Humorist Bombeck : ERMA. The "Joy of Cooking" author is Irma Rombauer.

66. "Going __, going ..." : ONCE

67. On the wrong side (of) : AFOUL. Have only encountered this word in the phrase "Run afoul of".

68. Track competition : MEET

69. Stir-fry cookers : WOKS

70. Full of juicy tidbits : NEWSY

71. Longings : YENS

Down:

1. Embarrassed reaction, maybe : GIGGLE. OK, "maybe".

2. Shining brightly : AGLEAM

3. Exclaims suddenly, with "out" : BLURTS

4. "Do something about it! I dare you!" : SUE ME

5. Betwixt and between : TORN

6. Egg, to Ovid : OVUM. Plural is ova.

7. Right-hand man : AIDE

8. Tiptoe : SNEAK

9. Succinct : TERSE. To me, TERSE has a negative one, succinct does not.

10. Place with bars : CAGE. Thought of JAIL first.

11. Where to find four knights : CHESS SET. Three consecutive Ss.

12. "Friendly skies" co. : UAL

13. "Masterpiece" airer : PBS

21. Hatchet man : AXER. ER words are seldom interesting.

22. "Coal Miner's Daughter" subject Loretta : LYNN

26. Glass section : PANE

27. Former senior, for short : ALUM. Couldn't quite parse the clue.

30. "Rio __": John Wayne film : LOBO. Was ignorant of the movie. Western again?

31. Wingspread, say : SPAN

32. Madison Ave. figures : AD MEN

35. Statistical input : DATA

36. Reed instrument : OBOE

37. Red, white or Blue Nun : WINE. Blue Nun is a German wine brand. Alien to me.

38. Bitty start? : ITTY. Itty-bitty.

39. Islamic branch : SHIA. And Sunni.

44. Svelte : SLIM

45. 1551, on monuments : MDLI

48. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" villain : LEGREE (Simon). No idea.

49. Keen judgment : ACUMEN

50. Marked deck users : CHEATS. What is "Marked deck"? Poker?

53. Movie barbarian : CONAN. "Conan the Barbarian".

54. Swiss Army __ : KNIFE

59. Catty remark : MEOW. The clue works with or without the question mark.

61. Bank (on) : RELY

62. Auto club service : TOW

63. Year, in Yucatán : AÑO

Answer grid.

C.C.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 Mark Feldman

Theme: While You Slept - Occupations you might want to be kept in the dark about?

20A. One debating the unpopular side: DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

31A. Healer using magic: WITCH DOCTOR

41A. Uncredited author: GHOST WRITER

55A. Wee-hours work period for 20-, 31- and 41-Across?: GRAVEYARD SHIFT

Argyle here.

Not too sure of the theme since none of the three entries necessarily work at night. Oh well, not many names today. Good solid corners on the grid. Long entries. On the whole, I liked it.

Across:

1. Roe source : SHAD

5. Scrape, cat-style : CLAW

9. 100 kopeks : RUBLE and 6D. Turkish bread? : LIRA. Russian bread and Turkish bread. No euros yet.

14. Geographical extremity : POLE

15. Little suckers : LICE. 16. Matriculate : ENROL. 23. Washing aid for pupils : EYE CUP. 11D. Sassy kid : BRAT. The clues all made me think of students.

17. Turow memoir subtitled "The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School" : ONE L

18. The "Habanera" from "Carmen," e.g. : ARIA. Clip.(4:14)

19. Blunt, as reality : STARK

24. Blood bank fluid : SERUM

25. "Hold on __!" : A SEC

27. Stew : SEETHE

36. "Man oh man!" : "WOW!"

37. Out of kilter : AWRY

38. Dove murmur : COO

39. About 1,609 meters : MILE

40. Game system played with gestures : Wii. Nintendo's spelling of "Wii" with two lower-case "i" characters is meant to resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together. So they say. The big thing is it gets people off the couch to play.

45. Long-haired cat : ANGORA

47. Part of a family business title : SONS

48. Pitching miscues : BALKS

51. Where AMZN stock is traded : NASDAQ. Amazon.com, Inc. / "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Systems," but the exchange's official stance is that the acronym is obsolete.

58. Japanese cartoon genre : ANIME

59. Oklahoma tribe : OTOE. They're out there somewhere. The tribe got moved around a lot and you can't be sure from where they might be clued.

60. Naysayer : ANTI

61. Deadly : FATAL

62. Zip (along) : TEAR

63. Chick's sound : PEEP

64. Head lock : TRESS. Had me thinking wrestling move for awhile.

65. At __: arguing : ODDS. This idiom uses odds in the sense of "a condition of being unequal or different," and transfers it to a difference of opinion, or quarrel.

66. Messes up : ERRS

Down:

1. Fine porcelain : SPODE. Named for Josiah Spode who developed the manufacturing of bone china with blue glaze, based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Image. I think porcelain and bone china aren't exactly the same but I'll read the Wikipedia article later.

2. Sweetheart : HONEY

3. Naproxen, commercially : ALEVE. Image.

4. Epicurean delight : DELICACY

5. Held firmly : CLASPED

7. Fatty __ : ACIDS

8. Make, as baskets : WEAVE

9. Fireman, sometimes : RESCUER

10. Wild : UNTAME. More familiar with untamed.

12. Folk tales and such : LORE

13. "Benevolent" fraternal member : ELK. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE)

21. Having abundant vegetation : LUSH

22. Thereabouts : OR SO

26. Chanel of fashion : COCO

28. Nincompoop : TWIT

29. Burrow indicator : HOLE

30. Pretty pitcher : EWER. Pretty alliteration.

31. Guitar effect : WA-WA

32. Triumphant cry : "I WIN!"

33. Math course : TRIG

34. Business orgs. : COs.

35. Little ones : TOTS

39. Form incorrectly : MISSHAPE

41. Covers, as a driveway : GRAVELS

42. Robust : HALE. NYT Sunday puzzle once had this clue for HALE: Sarah Josepha ___, who wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb". Can you say obscure?

43. Worldly seven : WONDERS

44. Messenger molecules : RNAs. These little molecules are everywhere.

46. White House family : OBAMAs

49. Onetime capital of Japan : KYOTO. Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. The city in the central part of the island of Honshu, southwest of Tokyo.

50. Filled up : SATED

52. Restaurant patron : DINER

53. Following : AFTER

54. Wax removers : Q-TIPS

55. Growl : GNAR. Add an 'L' at the end and it becomes a tree knot.

56. Ceremony : RITE

57. Country way : ROAD

58. Toward the rudder : AFT

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, November 29, 2010 Jeff Chen

Theme: This & That - Two words that start with "R" connected by "and". The unifier is an abbreviated form of the other four so it isn't really a revealer, just a hint.

17A. Music genre that evolved in the '50s: ROCK AND ROLL

28A. How the wheels on the bus go: ROUND AND ROUND

39A. Time off, briefly, and this puzzle's theme: R AND R

47A. "Old" nickname for Zachary Taylor: ROUGH AND READY

63A. Complain hysterically: RANT AND RAVE

Argyle here.

After I did the comments, I realized there are a lot of names in this puzzle for a Monday, even though the theme was easy to get.

Across:

1. Toad feature : WART

5. Cravings : URGES

10. W.W. Jacobs short story "The Monkey's __" : PAW. No, not his father.

13. Etonic competitor : AVIA. No, it doesn't mean to fly.

14. Hollandaise and barbecue : SAUCES. Yes, it could include cranberry.

16. Genetic molecule: Abbr. : RNA. Molecule doesn't sound right.

19. "__ complicated" : IT'S. Probably the explanation to the above clue.

20. Evil smile : SNEER

21. Pac-10 hoops powerhouse : UCLA. University of California, Los Angeles.

22. Cambridge sch. : MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

23. Letter before kappa : IOTA. Greek. (Handy chart, if you care about these things.)

26. Tranquil : AT PEACE

32. Possess : OWN

33. Italian "a" : UNA. Feminine and singular number.

34. Tide creations : POOLS. Here is a photo of a large one at Carmel, CA. Pools often have their own little ecosphere.

37. Formally relinquish : CEDE

42. Winter fall : SNOW

43. Hägar the Horrible's dog : SNERT

45. Zippy start? : ZEE. The letter "Z".

46. Well-armed org. : NRA. National Rifle Association. (Rifles aren't considered "heaters", either.) (From a recent clue.)

52. Nonsense : BALONEY

54. The ten in "hang ten" : TOES. Standing on the front edge of a surf board.

55. Batter's stat : RBI. "Runs batted in".

56. Power co. product : ELEC.

58. Freeze, as a plane's wings : ICE UP

62. + molecule, e.g. : ION. + indicates a positive charge.

66. Work unit : ERG

67. Like the night in a classic Van Gogh work : STARRY. Clip(4:12), w/ slide show.

68. All done : OVER

69. Knox and McHenry: Abbr. : FTs. Forts.

70. "Do the Right Thing" actor Davis : OSSIE. A younger version(Image) of the couple. Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis were married 56 years when Ossie died in 2005.

71. Wimpy : WEAK. My kind of Wimpy. Image.

Down:

1. Serious conflicts : WARS

2. Cosmetic caller : AVON

3. Paddy grain : RICE

4. Adopt, as a puppy : TAKE IN

5. "Top Gun" org. : USN. United States Navy, Navy Fighter Weapons School (better known as "TOPGUN").

6. "Groovy!" : "RAD!". Only in crosswords!

7. Hindu religious instructor : GURU

8. Chevy Volt or Ford Fusion : ECOCAR

9. Do business with : SELL TO

10. Temperamental diva, e.g. : PRIMA DONNA. Remember this one(2:41).

11. Shenanigan : ANTIC

12. Trash : WASTE

15. First-rate, in Rugby : SLAP-UP. New to me.

Some great sleuthing by Clear Ayes: "About (15D) SLAP-UP: I "G'd" (15D) SLAP-UP as a rugby term and couldn't find anything other than Brit-slang "first-rate", usually referring to a meal. It took me a very non-Monday time to realize that the game is lower case and the clue must refer to a town named Rugby. Sure enough, the Warwickshire town in England is most famous as the place where the game was invented."

18. Yankee with 613 career homers, familiarly : A-ROD. "Alex" Rodriguez.

24. Bull: Pref. : TAUR. Such as TAURiform, shaped like a bull.

25. Oscar winner Paquin : ANNA. Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Paquin's first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994 at the age of 11 – the second youngest winner in history. (Tatum O'Neal for "Paper Moon" (1973) age 10).

27. Nephew of Cain : ENOS

28. Big birds of lore : ROCs. A mythical giant bird.

29. Wilson of "Marley & Me" : OWEN

30. Subordinates : UNDERLINGS

31. "Who's the Boss?" star Tony : DANZA. 80's TV sitcom. Tony was in Taxi, also.

35. Manor master : LORD

36. Oscillate : SWAY

38. Sock ending : EROO. Sockeroo.

40. Car scar : DENT

41. Overhaul, as a Web site : REDO

44. Workers with an ear for music? : TUNERS

48. Italian ice cream : GELATO

49. "Laughing" critters : HYENAS

50. Longtime Nevada senator Harry : REID

51. Money for taxes and insurance may be held in it : ESCROW

52. Lawyer's filing : BRIEF

53. NASA "Stop!" : ABORT

57. NBA's Shaq and Yao, e.g. : CTRs. The big men who play the position of center on the National Basketball Association teams.

59. A gutter is often under it : EAVE. It's over your head.

60. Eye part containing the iris : UVEA

61. Exec's extra : PERK. Formed by by shortening and respelling of perquisite, an incidental payment, benefit, privilege, or advantage over and above regular income, salary, or wages.

64. "Taking Heat" memoirist Fleischer : ARI. Taking Heat: The President, the Press, and My Years in the White House. Cover. He is the former White House Press Secretary for U.S. President George W. Bush.

65. PBS science guy Bill : NYE

Answer grid.

Argyle

Sunday November 28, 2010 John Lampkin

Theme: Stuffed - The end letter(s) of each Thanksgiving Day food item is left out. You're too stuffed to eat the whole thing, a la Santa.

23A. Thursday meat : TURKEY WINGS AND DRUM STI(CKS)

35A. Thursday veggie : MASHED POTATOES WITH GRA(VY)

55A. Thursday condiment : HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUC(E)

77A. Thursday veggie : CANDIED YAMS WITH MARSHM(ALLOWS)

91A. Thursday dessert : PUMPKIN PECAN PIE A LA MOD(E)

111A. This weekend's fridge contents, probably, and what's missing from five long puzzle answers? : THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS

Different number of letters are left out in each theme entry. I presume the rationale is just to get a perfect 21 in each entry? Or does CKS, VY, E, ALLOWS & E together anagram to something meaningful?

Very seldom do we see 6 grid spanners in a Sunday puzzle. Tough to pull it off. No to mention a pangram and no cheater. Low word/block count as well. Amazing.

The clue for TAIPEI (71D. Southeast Asian island metropolis) is incorrect. It's East Asian. China, Japan, North/South Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan/Hongkong/Macau all belong to East Asia.

As usual, I've green-highlighted John's signature clechoes.

Across:

1. Insect catchers : WEBS. Had NETS.

5. Something blown before a fight? : FUSE. And BURN (3D. Blow a 5-Across).

9. Seize by force : USURP

14. Monkees' jacket type : NEHRU. Always associated it with the Beatles. And TITLE (72. Jacket line). Book jacket.

19. Marine hue : AQUA. Dennis, I can see dark blue from Minnesota!

20. Exalt : LAUD

21. Long time follower? : NO SEE. Great clue.

22. Allium plant : ONION. Unaware of this fact.

27. Singing hindrance : TIN EAR. I just can't sing.

28. Net weight factors : TARES. And ENMESH (15D. Catch, as in a net)

29. Early Greek Cynic : DIOGENES. Not familiar with this dude. Maybe Argyle the Modern Cynic knows.

30. Sweeping matter : SOOT

32. Curse : OATH

34. __-relief : BAS

45. Bruins' sch. : UCLA

46. Lays eggs in water : SPAWNS

47. Jalisco hundred : CIEN. Spanish for "hundred".

48. Fleur de __: sea salt : SEL. Just "salt" in French. Poivre = Pepper.

49. They're raised at bars : SHOTS. Sure was not thinking of drinks. Also SAKE (4D. Sushi bar drink). Rice wine.

51. Connecting symbol between musical notes : TIE. And READ (62A. Decipher, as music)

52. Auto for Otto, maybe : AUDI. Nice sounding clue.

53. Arch opening? : MATRI. Opening of the word Matriarch.

60. Half an attention-getter : YOO. "Yoo -hoo".

61. Concur : AGREE

63. Everlasting, to the bard : ETERNE. Eternal.

64. Jenny's sound : BRAY. Jenny = She donkey.

65. Vise feature : JAW

66. Certain fed : NARC. Shouldn't "fed" be capitalized?

67. Secretary of state under Reagan : SHULTZ (George)

70. Try : STAB

74. Lyricist Gershwin : IRA. See also LIZA (103D. Gershwin title girl who can make "all the clouds ... roll away"). Had L in place, wanted LOLA.

81. Mountain spine : RIDGE

82. Postnatal bed : CRIB

83. AQI monitor : EPA

84. "... __ down in green pastures" : TO LIE. No idea. From Psalm 23.

85. Alias : AKA

86. __-garou: werewolf : LOUP. French for werewolf. Loup = Wolf. Lupus is Latin for wolf. Learning moment for me.

87. Flaws : FAULTS

90. "Death in Venice" author : MANN (Horace) (Correction: The author is Thomas Mann. Thanks, Dodo.)

96. Lip : RIM

97. Neil Diamond's "__ Said" : I AM I

98. King of rhyme : COLE. Old King Cole. Nursery rhyme.

99. Remain calm : STAY COOL

104. Succeed in : WIN AT

106. More's allegorical island : UTOPIA. Thomas More.

114. Azerbaijani neighbor : IRANI. Wow, what if the hard-to-spell Azerbaijani is the answer?

115. Gas that both protects and pollutes : OZONE

116. Hot rod rod : AXLE

117. Mounted on : ATOP

118. "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon" author Robert : ROSE. Stranger to me.

119. Georgia gridders, familiarly : DAWGS. University of Georgia Bulldogs. Unknown to me.

120. Macho guy : STUD

121. Peephole feature, often : LENS

Down:

1. One with his name in lights? : WATT. James Watt I suppose.

2. Same: Pref. : EQUI

5. Trout fishing gear : FLY RODS

6. Detroit labor gp. : UAW

7. Fit perfectly : SUIT TO A TEE. Nailed it.

8. Flamboyant Dame : EDNA. Dame Edna.

9. Dethrones : UNSEATS

10. In order that : SO AS TO

11. JFK served in it : USN

12. Sly Foxx : REDD. Why "Sly"?

13. Foot at the head? : PEDI. Don't get the clue.

14. Chewy candy : NOUGAT

16. "__ Hers": 1994 Pulp album : HIS 'N". Another unfamiliar reference.

17. Learning style : ROTE

18. Colleges, Down Under : UNIs.

24. Lighten up : EASE

25. Pun, usually : GROANER

26. The American one is in the thrush family : ROBIN

31. Like an ant. : OPP (Opposite). Antonym.

33. Mother of Hector in the "Iliad" : HECUBA. Mother of Paris as well. I was stumped again.

35. Oozing schmaltz : MUSHY

36. Certain Dwarf's periodic outburst : ACHOO

37. NFL ref's aid : SLO-MO

38. Detest : HATE

39. Doubly : TWICE

40. Took up (with) : SIDED

41. Stream blocker : WEIR. River dam. New word to me. Only know golfer Mike Weir. He won Masters in 2003.

42. The sun, e.g. : G-STAR. Why isn't "sun" capitalized?

43. Show over : RERUN

44. Pulitzer winner Walker : ALICE

50. Smug sort : SMARTIE. Another new word. Reminded me of Smarty Jones.

52. Again : ANEW

53. "It's on me" : MY TREAT

54. "Be there in __" : A SEC

56. Riveted : AGAZE

57. Like Steven Wright's humor : DRY

58. Lawrence's men : ARABS. "Lawrence of Arabia".

59. King's domain : REALM

64. Sch. campus unit : BLDG

65. Doorway part : JAMB

66. Ultimate : NTH

67. Morsel : SCRAP

68. Narrowly defined verse : HAIKU

69. Allow to flow : UNDAM. A real word?

70. Waffle topper : SYRUP

72. Tilt skywards : TIP UP. Have never used this phrase before.

73. It's used for emphasis : ITALIC TEXT. True!

74. Faith of more than one billion : ISLAM. Don't really understand this religion.

75. African lumberer : RHINO

76. Alter, as an agreement : AMEND. OK, EMEND is "Alter, as a text".

78. Pest control brand : D-CON. Wanted RAID.

79. Making independent (from) : WEANING

80. "Arrivederci __" : ROMA

86. Stretches on the road : LIMOS. Nice clue.

87. Biblical hardships : FAMINES

88. Columbia Records jazz producer Macero : TEO. Is this guy very well-known?

89. Toasted : SALUTED

92. Hawthorne's "A" wearer : PRYNNE. In "The Scarlet Letter".

93. Begin to take effect : KICK IN

94. Cornfield chatter : CAWING

95. Mother of Apollo : LETO. Don't confuse her with "Mother of Helen" the swan lady LEDA.

99. Arouse : STIR

100. Via, old-style : THRO

101. Small batteries : AAAs

102. Prayer start : O GOD

105. Sadly : ALAS. Penned in BLUE. Grammatically wrong.

107. __ Office : OVAL

108. Ale brewer Slosberg : PETE. First encounter with this brewer.

109. Fe, in chemistry : IRON

110. Deadly slitherers : ASPS

112. Altar agreement : VOW

113. H1N1 virus, e.g. : FLU

Answer grid.

C.C.